


Ten Mistakes

by musikurt



Category: How to Get Away with Murder
Genre: Coming Out, M/M, Uninvited Guest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 20:50:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5470385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Connor unexpectedly shows up at Frank's door, Frank's first thought is to send him away. But he doesn't listen to his instincts, and that's his first mistake...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ten Mistakes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sublymonal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sublymonal/gifts).



Snacks? Check. Beer? Check. Phone turned off? Check.

Frank settled in to enjoy the Eagles game without interruption. With everything going on, it was rare that he could enjoy a game without interruption. How he convinced Annalise to give him one afternoon was beyond him (it wasn't like he did anything differently this time), but he knew to take advantage of it. Five minutes to game time, and he was ready. Until the doorbell rang.

For a moment, he considered not answering it. No good could come from seeing who was there, right? Then again, everyone involved with Annalise knew not to bother him, so he figured it must be someone else. And that was his first mistake.

"Hi." Frank resisted the urge to slam the door in Connor's face. What was he doing here? Both Frank and Annalise were clear he was not to be disturbed for any reason. "I thought I would join you for the game," Connor added when Frank didn't respond. He smiled and held up a paper bag. "I brought wings and beer."

"Do you make a habit of dropping by people's homes unannounced?" Frank stepped aside and let Connor pass by him. That was his second mistake.

Connor shrugged and laughed. "I just figured we haven't spent much time together; we don't really know each other at all."

"You don't think there might be a reason for that?" Frank didn't mean that as a joke, but clearly Connor took it as just that.

"So you play hard to get. Maybe I like a challenge." Connor set the bag on the coffee table and plopped down into a seat on the sofa. "Honestly, I feel like you've had the chance to get to know everyone else, but we've never really connected."

Frank knew he had three choices at that point. He could tell Connor that he preferred to be alone to watch the game and he needed to leave. That would be rude, though it was Frank's first choice. He could begrudgingly allow Connor to stay and make the fact known for the duration of the game. He knew that was likely to impact his own enjoyment of the afternoon, so he rejected that idea outright. The third option was to let Connor stay and try to see if they could get to know each other better during the course of the game. Maybe he was feeling generous or maybe the smell of the wings was simply too enticing, but that's the one he decided to go with. And that would be mistake number three.

"Do you even know anything about football?" Frank asked, winking at Connor before passing him a beer.

"Not all of us are allergic to anything athletic, you know." Connor popped open the bottle and took a drink. "Of course, I dated my share of tight ends in undergrad."

Frank rolled his eyes, but couldn't hold back a laugh. "I guess athletes do have some appeal to those of your persuasion."

"Persuasion?" Connor feigned offense. "Does that mean you think being gay is something you can convince someone to be?"

"Oh, come now. You don't need to take up those arguments with me. I know it's not a choice." Frank lifted his own bottle. "Though I've heard some are more easily influenced to explore than others." He almost put his hand over his mouth. He couldn't understand why he'd just said that. There was no mistaking the flash of curiosity in Connor's eyes that disappeared as quickly as it had come. It was a spark that piqued Frank's interest, but he quickly shook it off.

Connor pointed at the screen, where footage of a recent game was being played. "You have to admit there's something just a bit homoerotic about the whole thing."

"What do you mean?" Frank asked. He knew he shouldn't have asked; his first thought was to redirect the conversation. If you're keeping count: mistake number four.

"Well, the tight-fitting clothes, the struggle for dominance over other men, the tackling each other to the ground. Of course, there's also all of the ass slapping and grabbing."

"That last part is something I never understood, either," Frank agreed.

Connor smiled at him. "You mean you didn't partake of the ass slaps on the field?"

"What makes you think I played football?"

"You have that build about you," Connor answered with a shrug. "And I think I heard mention of it at some point."

"Guilty as charged." Frank finished his beer and opened another. "So maybe I slapped a few asses. Doesn't mean I understood why I was doing it."

Connor took in a breath and licked his lips. Frank took notice, though he didn't exactly understand why. "And the camaraderie in the locker room? I mean, I heard some stories."

Frank shook his head and looked away from Connor. "Guys were just comfortable with each other."

"I guess they never assumed that there might be a gay guy in their midst?"

Frank swallowed uncomfortably and then went for another swig of his beer. "Or a bisexual," Frank muttered. He could feel Connor's eyes on him, and he knew his face flushed in that moment. There was mistake number five.

Connor was quiet for a moment before responding. "They never knew?"

Frank didn't want to answer the question. He'd never actually put it into words for himself before. This entire situation made him feel so vulnerable, and that was not who he was. Frank was confident. He didn't get like this, and he especially didn't fall apart in front of a student. He finished off his second beer and opened a third. This would be the sixth mistake of the afternoon.

"Let's just say I didn't advertise," Frank replied, noticing the bitterness in his own voice. "Besides, I hadn't put the words to it myself at that point. Nor had I acted on it more than once or twice."

Connor nodded. "So it's the guys that make you bi? Because I'd say any time you're with someone you're acting on it."

Frank closed his eyes. He wanted to ask Connor what his game was. Why did he show up at Frank's house with these questions? Why was he continuing to pry? Why was he being so ridiculously understanding about something they shouldn't even be talking about? When he opened his eyes, he turned to see Connor staring at him. There was a mix of emotions reflecting back in that moment: concern, understanding, curiosity, lust. Lust? Was he sure about that last one? If asked later, he'd blame it on the three beers in rapid succession, but at that moment Frank leaned over and planted a kiss on Connor's lips. And that put the mistake count at seven.

"Woah," Connor said as he pushed Frank away. "That's not why I came here."

"No?" Frank asked, sensing himself getting angry. "You didn't come here to elicit some confession from me and try to make me another one of your conquests?"

"No," Connor answered with a sudden seriousness. "I came to spend an afternoon getting to know you. I hadn't expected the conversation to take this particular turn."

Frank leaned back against the sofa cushion. "So you're rejecting me, then?" Had he just admitted that he was disappointed at Connor rebuffing his advance? Mistake number eight.

"Well," Connor replied as he slid closer to Frank, "not exactly. I guess I just want to be sure you're not doing this for any reason other than you might want to be with me. This isn't you feeling sorry for yourself or feeling sorry for me. This isn't you trying to manipulate me so you can convince me not to tell anyone what you just told me. I don't expect anything from you, and I'm certainly not going to tell anyone anything you don't want them to know. That's not the kind of person I am."

"You did it for a case." He'd spoken quickly and without even thinking.

Connor frowned. "That was different. And you know it." He turned away from Frank.

Frank reached over and put an arm around him. "I know. I'm sorry I said that." He leaned his head on Connor's shoulder. "I... I kissed you because I wanted to. Not for any other reason." Frank wasn't exactly certain that was true, but he knew he wanted to kiss Connor again. That would be mistake number nine.

Connor turned to face Frank. He looked like was going to say something, but then he just shook his head. He leaned over and kissed Frank. "Should we move to the bedroom?"

All Frank could do in that moment was nod. Connor grabbed his arm and pulled him up, leading the way. Frank had committed his tenth and final mistake of the afternoon--and every last one of them was worth it.


End file.
